May 30, 2012

It's funny how your closet seems to gobble up items. You think you've nothing new to wear until you randomly see an old item in a new light. So when the rain abated this morning & I peered into my closet it wasn't accompanied by the whiney woe is me "I need new clothes" but rather "hey this might work..." It's a pretty Summery look (probably too summery for such a day, but hey a girl can dream) but I liked it & hope some of you will too!

First things first - how cute is this palm tree print? It's a piece I purchased last Summer but somehow it got lost in the depths of my closet. Now that it's resurfaced I have about 5 combinations I want to try it with. For today I was in between this navy pencil skirt & my royal blue American Apparel skirt. In the end I chose this one because it's something you haven't seen before, & also provides more contrast with the flowy printed crop top. In the accessory department I went with two pink vintage items: cute costume earrings from my grandmother, & pink belt from my Auntie. I also chose my pastel yellow satchel to compliment the pastels in the top. My nails were painted in Baby Blue by OPI, more of a leftover from yesterday than anything.

And in other news: life. is. busy. My German final exam is in less than two weeks (terrified = understatement), the job hunt is ongoing, & I'm also in the midst of making some design changes to le blog. So for the time being, just bear with me & keep the comments a-comin' :)

May 26, 2012

I swear the fact that I'm posting about an April Glossybox the last week of May is only partially my responsibility. I received it at the ripely overdue date of May 18th, after a tangle of emails back & forth with their customer service manager. I must say, I'm more pleased with the contents than my March box, but all the same I've cancelled the subscription.

First up, two of the three full size items:

1. Elizabeth Grant Shower Gel - In my opinion, this one is a winner. Although I don't normally go for sweetly scented skincare products, I really like this one (Exotic Apricot). It only leaves a faint scent after the shower, so it's not overbearing. I received the full size 240mL bottle, so it should keep me going for awhile.

2. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer - This is the second month in a row they've sent me an Aveeno moisturizer. This one has SPF 15, & trust me, you can tell. It's oily & smells like plain old sunscreen. The card says of it "clinically shown to improve the look of tone, texture, dullness, blotchiness, and brown spots - for naturally radiant skin." It's full size at 120mL, though I really don't see myself using this one again anytime soon. It left my skin feeling anything but radiant. And at 22.99 for a small bottle? I think not.

Next up:

3. Marcelle Xtension Plus Mascara - I've been using this lengthening & curling mascara all week now, & can't really say anything bad of it. It has a great brush, doesn't clump, & definitely lengthens lashes well. All the same I think I'll be sticking with my trusty CoverGirl staple, as it is much better at thickening than the Marcelle.

4. Marcelle BB Cream - This one I only tried this morning, but am loving already! It's a tinted cream which can easily replace moisturizer as well as a corrector or base. It comes in two colours; the lighter shade which I received was still a little too dark for my skin at the moment (though once I get a little Summer colour it should be perfect). It's also hypo-allergenic, which I always appreciate with sensitive skin like mine. I only received a one-time sample in my Glossybox, but am thinking of purchasing the full size product.

Last but not least, I received two Wella hair products. I haven't tested either of these yet, so I can't really pass a comment on how well they work. I will however tell you what they're all about:

One is a conditioner for fine to normal colour treated hair. The other is a hair treatment cream for the same hair type. Because I have really fine hair, I usually avoid these types of hair products (with the exception of unruly split ends), though of course I will test these both out at some point. Apparently the big selling point of this product is that it contains diamond dust. Not sure what type of consumer they were hoping to sway with that one, but it certainly isn't me. Though to leave off on a positive note, they do both smell lovely.

And there you have it, my April Glossybox review! It's a beauty of a day here in Vancouver so I'm off to soak up the sunshine while I still can. Hope you're all having a lovely weekend :)

Also - you can expect some changes to the blog over the next couple of weeks. I'm finally getting around to some long-overdue design tweaking, as well as creating a Facebook page for the blog. I'll be sure to share more info when it all happens :)

May 24, 2012

Yesterday was a prime example of how unpredictable the weather can be in a coastal city. Over the course of the day it was grey without rain, grey with, sunny, sun showers, windy, warm, cold... pretty much all over the place. So when I had to get dressed for a lunch date with the girls I decided layering was probably key.

My base piece was a ditzy floral printed sundress, layered with a creme lace-back cardigan, & military-green Spring jacket I got in Ireland a couple of years ago. I added a couple colourful bracelets from H&M, as well as a a vintage patent cross-body bag. I chose my Dolce Vita shoes mainly because they're the only pair which doesn't irritate my wounded ankle (care of my newest JC's). Fortunately they also happened to match.

It turned out to be a fairly versatile look as I also wore it later for a walk along the Seawall (which quickly turned into hiding from the rain beneath trees overlooking Burrard Bridge), and later still when I went out for supper. I brought it from day to evening by switching the jacket for a blazer & the bracelets for my gold Michael Kors watch.

May 22, 2012

When I saw that today's forecasted rain was a no-show, I decided to celebrate with some colour experimentation. Orange & purple isn't an every day combination of mine, but I tried it, I liked it, I wore it. They're actually my two favourite colours this Spring; so why not pair them up?

There's nothing more comfortable for summer than an oversized batwing shirt. More importantly, they are incredibly versatile. You can pair them with denim cut-offs, a pencil skirt, jeans, or in this case colourful trousers! This orange batwing top c/o Oasap is one of my ever-growing collection. The pastel purple trousers have some pretty unique detailing which makes me love them even more (squared pocket seam, zippers in the front of each leg, & slight ruching). My nails were already painted in Lily 610 by Revlon, so I was unintentionally a little matchy-matchy.

To avoid looking too colour-crazy I accessorized fairly neutrally. Jewellery wise it was pretty difficult to match anything with the vibrant orange top (gold blended, others clashed too much), so I opted for a vintage white + black costume necklace & simple bangle. I also attempted to break in my new JC Pizan wedges. I managed 4 blocks, but admittedly came out with some war wounds. All shoes give me issues the first couple times, so I'm still in the optimistic zone with these beauties ;)

On one last note: I'd like to thank you all for the overwhelming amount of comments I've received lately. I respond to each & every one of them, though it may take me a day or two (I'm a busy gal!). Keep them coming - they're so very appreciated!

May 19, 2012

My highly lusted-after white wedges arrived yesterday & I couldn't be more excited! As much as I am loving the variety of vibrant & patterned shoes that are currently trending, I thought something in a classic white + wood combination would be a great versatile staple for Summer. I ordered this pair from Nastygal, one of my favourite online shops. There are still a few sizes left in this model so if you're interested you can check them out here :)

This is my third pair of Jeffrey Campbell shoes, & I'm sure they won't be my last. The quality is always excellent, especially for the price point. The only qualm I have is the discrepancy in sizing. I usually take a size 7 or 7.5 - my Foxy pair is a 7.5 & slightly too big; my Lita's fit well at an 8 (7 also fit, but I wanted to go a size up for socks). With this pair I decided to go with the 7 & thankfully they fit perfectly. I believe a 7.5 would have also worked; & with this style a thin insole could be discretely used. So if you're hesitant to order shoes online, there's a size guide you can judge accordingly.

I've been pretty much living in flats recently, so readjusting to 6 inch shoes should be fun. I expect a few stumbles may be in store. Either way, I'll be sure to include them in an outfit post within the next few days!

May 17, 2012

Yesterday I had the pleasure of lunch & a stroll with Kris (of Back Alleys & Boulevards), in the presence of some pretty glorious sunshine. After a long lunch at Nuba (delicious vegan Lebanese cuisine), we sat outside while Kris showed me her gorgeous designs & the current collection she's working on. We then proceeded to snap a handful of photos atop the Law Courts downtown. Most of mine are pretty ridiculous... it was somewhat difficult to keep a straight face with Kris laughing at at my awkward facial expressions & lack of balance. Nonetheless I hope we'll get in some more lunch + photo dates soon! It's certainly nice to be back & to see the lovely people I missed so much. The sunshine doesn't hurt either ;)

A few words about the outfit: my oversized fluoro orange top (layered over a lace bodysuit) was an obvious choice for a casual Summery day. I paired it with a black & white pencil skirt for a bit of contrast, & accessorized fairly simply: bag big enough for the camera, the necessary sunnies, comfortable flats, & statement earrings which you regrettably can't see all that well (they're a striking vintage roped gold, which I recently discovered in an old jewellery box while I was visiting home). I don't know all the details on Kris's outfit, but I do know I love her punchy colour-blocked top, well-worn brown satchel, & fantastic snake-print sandals from H&M!

The sun is out in full force again today, so hopefully I'll be able to accomplish my lengthy 'to-do' list while still enjoying the weather. Hope you're all having a fabulous week & thanks for reading! :)

May 15, 2012

Vancouver in the sunshine is a completely different world. Not just from the bitterly windy other coast, but the rainy city itself in mid February. Since my arrival the weather has been undeniably gorgeous. What I remember as a quiet city on a wet Monday morning has seemingly increased tenfold in population. Fighting the jet-lag we went for a stroll along the Seawall yesterday to soak up some Vitamin D. My skin is a pretty ghostly shade of white, but even already my freckles are starting to burst through. So many people were out tanning on the beach & in the park. I can't wait to take a picnic & a book to put in an afternoon there myself.

As always on a sunny day, I wanted as much colour as possible. The base of my outfit was one of my all-time favourite vintage pieces - my striped Adrienne Vittadini skirt. I paired it with a mint crop top from American Apparel, atop a white bandeau, & accessorized with my pastel yellow satchel, gold/white bangle & sandals, & a hand-made necklace (black braided with pastel baubles). Classic Ray Ban wayfarers to top it off. Simple look for a Summery day :)

May 11, 2012

Super messy ponytail, glasses, & jeans. Not my usual, but it was raining & I was a bit pressed for time. I certainly didn't intend to photograph the look, but the rain ceased for about 5 minutes, so I gave it a shot. I showed you a look with this striped cape last week, but the majority of my things are packed for my flight tomorrow, so spare me. I went for prints, both as an anti-rain tactic & in response to the fact that I missed Mary Katrantzou at The Room in Vancouver last night (Kris was lucky enough to attend; hope she posts about the event soon! hint hint ;) Mom commented that the blocked stripes & florals made me look like I was disoriented while dressing... don't think print-blocking has caught on in NL quite yet haha.

I've got a million & one things to get done today, but I'm feeling a tad Zombie-esque. Here's hoping my tea date this afternoon will give me the energy I need to finish everything before tomorrow! Hope you all have the loveliest of weekends <3

May 9, 2012

In a massive effort to procrastinate last minute exam cramming, here is the outfit I wore yesterday! Basically all I had to do was study & go to a few appointments, so I opted for something fairly casual & added some heels. It was a peculiar day, with cloud vs sun in constant battle, & eerily quiet where we shot these photos. 'Hectic' is an understatement for this week (final exam, packing endless suitcases, appointments galore) so to enjoy the sun in near silence was a nice break.

[ I have an absolute abhorrence for wrinkly clothes, so I feel the need to explain away these wrinkly trousers. I always press them before wearing them, but they're a tad too big so the excess material keeps bunching & wrinkling every time I sit. It drives me crazy, but I love them so I wear them regardless. ] Excuses aside, I paired them with this ruffle-laden purple transparent top (an oldie from ASOS), a simple pair of pointy-toed black heels, my Vanilla Michael Kors Hamilton bag, & some gold accessories. Nails painted in Lily by Revlon.

3 more days here in NL & so much to get done before I leave. With any luck I'll be able to get in one more outfit shoot with my dearest obliging Mom beforehand. Until then, hope everyone is having a fabulous week! :)

May 4, 2012

1. Spike the Punch Rainey necklace + Banana Republic Denim Button-down. Perfect amount of glitz for a casual day! As soon as I go through the photos, I'll post the full outfit :)

2. I felt like a 12 year old, guiltily buying this copy of Teen Vogue. But hey I had to - Andy, Chiara, & Carolina were featured, so I had to take notice. I adore their Werelse line for Mango; only wish it were available in Canada!

3. Also just picked up this new nail polish & love it to pieces. It's 610 Lily by Revlon. The colour & coverage are both fantastic. I definitely foresee it being my go-to polish for the summer. Though I still need to find the perfect mint colour. What nail colours are you favouring at the moment?

4. Most of you know I have a penchant for bright statement pieces. Same goes for my running gear... so when I saw this pair of fluorescent running shoes I just had to have them. This picture does no justice to the colour; they're honestly so bright I do a double-take every time I scan over them in my closet haha

May 1, 2012

So what I didn't happen to mention yesterday is that it's been snowing on & off since I returned to NL Saturday night. This should offer you an explanation as to why my outfit is decidedly more Autumn appropriate than May Day wear. I probably should have included more florals or brights, but I was feeling a much more layered look with some rose & burgundy thrown into the mix. Nothing fancy, just something to keep me decently warm while running errands.

I was inspired to pull out my liquid leggings when I saw this look by Breanne of Flattery, worn in Sydney (though to be fair, it actually is Autumn there). This is actually the first time I've worn them in over a year. On the top I layered with a charcoal silk tee from Lush, burgundy cropped jumper from Urban Outfitters, & H&M rose striped poncho/cape/shawl/thingy; all purchases from last Autumn. I accessorized simply with a knit circle scarf from ASOS, Michael Kors Gold Chronograph watch & Michael Kors ballet flats.